Sporting activities create differing problems in regard to the comfort and suitability of sunglasses as may be needed by a participant to protect the eyes from the effects of sunlight. In a typical physically active sport, occurring in sunlight which may negatively effect vision, the participant may be perspiring about the face and head, and the wearing of commonly available nose and ear supported sunglasses becomes problematic. Sunglasses slip from their common mounting places on sweaty noses and ears, requiring constant re-adjustment, complicated by perspiration forming along the participants brow and/or hands which may fog or otherwise be transferred onto the sunglasses lens, obscuring vision. Running, jumping and other jarring competitive activities only increase the problems and, particularly in situations wherein the participant is required to use his hands during the sporting activity, may disrupt the participant's ability to compete.
Various ways to solve such problems have been advanced. Sunlight intersecting lenses mounted in goggles are commercially available which generally provide an elastomeric and/or the like surround of the lens, the surround engaging the wearers face around the eye, with a tight band holding the device tightly to the wearers face. Goggles tend to form a dead air space in front of the eyes, which promote perspiration around the eyes and/or create an obscuring mist on the interior surface of the lens. Even though means have been advanced to enable some flow of air within goggles they are generally seen as being cumbersome, uncomfortable and vision obstructing, and thus have not enjoyed widespread acceptability as sunglass devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,087, discloses a device which comprises a combination visor and sunglass device. The device of this patent comprises a somewhat flexible plastic headband which comprises opposite ends which comprise buttons, buckles or the like for adjusting the headband size to a wearers head, the headband comprising a visor at the front position of the headband and a complex means for pivotally attaching a generally flat sunglass lens under the visor. The sunglass attachment means is arranged to enable pivoting the sunglass lens away from a position aligned opposite the eyes of the wearer during use to a position of non-use, aligned against the underside of the visor. Such device has been found acceptable for use in some sports related activities, but the pivoting nature of the lenses generally limits the design of the lens from intersecting sun rays from the side and the generally rigid nature of materials required for the pivot arrangement, sunvisor and the like, make the device cumbersome, uncomfortable and unsuitable for use in sports which may require running and jumping activity.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,105,475 discloses a device which is closely similar to U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,087, it too comprising a combination visor and sunglass. The device of this patent comprises a front headband area having spaced apart rigid walls for inserting an eyeshield therebetween and enabling a pivoting arrangement for the lens. As with U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,087, the pivoting arrangement of the device and the generally rigid nature of materials required for mounting the pivot arrangement, sunvisor and the like, the device is generally uncomfortable and unsuitable for use in many active sports.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a convenient, comfortable and simple sunglass arrangement which is particularly suitable for active sports wear.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a sunglass arrangement which surrounds the eyes of the wearer in such manner as to minimize entry of sunlight from the sides.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a sunglass arrangement which resists the problem of vision interference by perspiration and/or fogging.
These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.